Wednesday, March 8, 2017

New Delhi, 8 March: Today, on International Women’s Day, UN Women launched a one-month campaign branding four trains of the Delhi Metro with messaging on women’s economic empowerment.

Two trains each on the Blue Line and Yellow Line will showcase ‘Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030’, drawing attention to the need for equal pay for work of equal value, recognizing and sharing unpaid care work, as well as making workplaces, public spaces and homes violence free.

“On Women’s Day we call upon all actors to Step It Up for Gender Equality, ensuring that the world of work works for all women” said UN Women Representative Rebecca Tavares. “Safe public transport is central to women’s mobility for labour, leisure, education, health and livelihoods.”

“The Delhi Metro has been instrumental in ushering in a new era in the sphere of mass urban transportation in India. Delhi Metro is fully committed towards the safety and security of women passengers and has made extensive provisions to provide a safe and convenient travelling experience to women passengers,” said Anuj Dayal, Executive Director, Corporate Communications, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. “There is a critical link between women’s safety in public spaces and their ability to seek and access employment. We are delighted to have the opportunity to highlight the important theme of women’s economic empowerment on the occasion of International Women’s Day”.

Technological advances, mobility of labour, the green economy and globalization can bring unprecedented possibilities for women if they have access to relevant education and training. On the other hand, an increasing number of women are stuck in the low-paid informal economy with no social protection. Women and girls also still carry an enormous unpaid care burden and face other barriers, such as unequal pay, and lack of paid parental leave and flexible work arrangements, which significantly impact their participation and contribution to the global economy.

“We want to construct a different world of work for women. As they grow up, girls must be exposed to a broad range of careers, and encouraged to make choices that lead beyond the traditional service and care options to jobs in industry, art, public service, modern agriculture and science,” said Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Women Executive Director in her message for the Day.

Marking International Women’s Day globally, a broad range of dynamic events were organised by UN Women, ranging from film festivals, panels, solidarity marches, seminars and press conferences to arts, sports and academic activities.